Fassett bringing colour and inspiration to Sandy Cove

World-renowned textile artist Kaffe Fassett is giving a lecture and slideshow about inspiration at the Digby Neck Fire Hall on Friday, July 25.

A world-renowned knitter, quilter, rug hooker and needlepoint artist is bringing some colour and inspiration to Sandy Cove.

Kaffe Fassett, famous for his use of bright vibrant colours, is giving a lecture on inspiration at the Digby Neck Fire Hall on Friday night July 25.

“He's really the world's most famous textile artist,” says Sarah MacLachlan who is organizing the visit with her husband Noah Richler. “He accompanies all his talks with gorgeous projected images taken from around the world. And people leave hugely inspired by him and his work.”

MacLachlan says the show will be of special interest to textile artists, visual artists in general and also to any interested in creativity and art.

Fassett is currently on a tour of the Maritimes –he’s giving lectures and doing workshops in Amherst and then Halifax and is stopping on Digby Neck mostly for a vacation with the Sandy Cove couple.

“But he has graciously agreed to give a lecture in our village in support of what we're trying to build at Hillcote House,” said MacLauchlan.

MacLauchlan and Richler have bought and are slowly restoring Hillcote Farm, the last big building on the right as you drive back towards to the Fundy beach in Sandy Cove.

They intend to make it into the Hillcote House Centre for Creation, Exploration and Appreciation, a physical hub for activities promoting the culture, history and future possibilities of the Digby Neck and Islands.

The centre will involve visiting artists in meetings, workshops, seminars and residencies and festivals specifically designed to serve the people, legacy and economy of the Digby Neck and Islands, says Richler.

Artists could include for example restoration and landscape architects, chefs, musicians, painters and writers.

“The Hillcote House Centre believes that robust arts and culture strengthen the economy, identity, social cohesion and wellbeing of a place and all activities will be pursued with this in mind,” says Richler. “The artists and professionals invited to the centre will be provided the opportunity to develop new or ongoing projects for themselves, but will be selected because their work or expertise has an immediate relation to historical and present activities in the area and to work with local interested parties as well as the public at large."